"Avalon Academy. If you mean what kind of Academy, one where people with special powers come to learn to control those powers."
"Like the Labs, only nice?" He asks. There is a small wave of harmless energy and the Antairus Three are in the lab too. Matthias hands a bag to Gareth.
"We got all your stuff. Thought you might want it."
"Thanks for watching him, Yndely." Tal says to no one in particular. He was looking at a specific spot when he said it though...
She led the way down the corridor moving towards the location her map told her the other prisoners were being held, keeping an extra wary eye out for guards, especially now that she wasn't alone.
The corridors remain eerily quiet, but just a few dozen yards from her target Aananda hears the sound of footsteps coming quickly from a hallway they just passed.
"Shockers...?" The girl asked, confused and afraid.
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"While I am not familiar with the labs, I can assure you that this Academy is a nice place, yes," Ryleh said gently to the new arrival. She raised an eyebrow and gave her youngest grandchildren a chilling gaze.
"I would suggest that you three go and see your father at once. You'll want to start with an apology. And I suggest you think about how he felt when he found out you were gone. I will be coming to see you later to make sure that we are never again in a position where we cannot locate you."
"I may have umm....created a bit of an emergency," she whispered back, looking around the halls, checking for walls made of stone.
There is a small wave of harmless energy and the Antairus Three are in the lab too.
Even as Lysander starts to stand and go to his cousins, a door slams open into existence and the Headmaster flies through it to scoop his children up and hug them tightly.
"Don't ever do that again!" He tells them sternly as the return the hug. "You could have gotten hurt or worse! You know better!"
Ephebe breathed a sigh of relief. And teleported to the lab, a little out of the way of everyone to wait for her mom to come back.
"While I am not familiar with the labs, I can assure you that this Academy is a nice place, yes," Ryleh said gently to the new arrival.
"Okay." He notices her gaze and blinks. "You don't look old."
"I may have umm....created a bit of an emergency," she whispered back, looking around the halls, checking for walls made of stone.
While the walls, floor, and ceiling are covered in metal, that is just a layer and Aananda can sense the stone that is covered.
"What did you do!? We've got to go now or the Shockers will catch us both!"
She smiled. "They can try."
She pulled a knife out of her pack and turned on the vibroblade, slicing through the metal walls like they were butter so she could pull out some of the stone from underneath. At her direction the stone of the wall flowed out into the hall in front of them and she gathered it to a large boulder which she sent rolling down the hall in front of them.
"You'll want to stay behind me for this part. It makes it easier for me to protect you."
"While I am not familiar with the labs, I can assure you that this Academy is a nice place, yes," Ryleh said gently to the new arrival."Okay." He notices her gaze and blinks. "You don't look old."
She smiled. "However I look, I assure you I am old. I am over six hundred years old. My name is Ryleh. What is your name, child?"
She smiled. "However I look, I assure you I am old. I am over six hundred years old. My name is Ryleh. What is your name, child?"
"Gareth Myrrdin. If you're six hundred, how old are they?" He asks, pointing to Gwenne, Tal, and Matthias. "is everyone super-old here?"
"You'll want to stay behind me for this part. It makes it easier for me to protect you."
The girls mouth hangs open as she watches the boulder form and roll over the shockers that had just turned the corner.
"How did you do that?"
She smiled. "However I look, I assure you I am old. I am over six hundred years old. My name is Ryleh. What is your name, child?""Gareth Myrrdin. If you're six hundred, how old are they?" He asks, pointing to Gwenne, Tal, and Matthias. "is everyone super-old here?"
Ryleh laughed. "They are four and five if I remember correctly. My memory sometimes plays tricks on me because I'm so old I have trouble remembering the age of my grandchildren," she said with a wink. "Most of the people in this school are children, so no, not super old. I am an unusual example."
"Welcome to Avalon, Gareth Myrddin."
"You'll want to stay behind me for this part. It makes it easier for me to protect you."The girls mouth hangs open as she watches the boulder form and roll over the shockers that had just turned the corner.
"How did you do that?"
"It's called earthbending. I learned it from the monks at the temple where I grew up. It helps to have an affinity for earth. It isn't magic so it doesn't set off their alarms. Come on. We need to get to the others quickly."
Aananda hurried down the hallways towards where the others were supposed to be, keeping the girl close. There wasn't time anymore to worry about stealth.
She checked her readout as she ran to see how far the nanites had made it through their destruct sequence. It looked like they were about 60% done.
Ryleh laughed. "They are four and five if I remember correctly. My memory sometimes plays tricks on me because I'm so old I have trouble remembering the age of my grandchildren," she said with a wink. "Most of the people in this school are children, so no, not super old. I am an unusual example."
"Welcome to Avalon, Gareth Myrddin."
"Thank you." He says politely. "So you're a grandma? That's why you've got that scary look, right?"
"Don't be fooled, Mr. Myrddin, she had that look before she was a grandmother." The Headmaster says as he finally releases his children. "As for you three, you are in big trouble. For starters, you are grounded. No bedtime stories, no dessert, and you can't go around the school anymore without someone watching you that I say can."
"But, Papa-"
"No! I am glad you wanted to help someone, but you are too young to be doing something as dangerous as going off-planet on your own!"
Aananda hurried down the hallways towards where the others were supposed to be, keeping the girl close. There wasn't time anymore to worry about stealth.
"Can you get through the locks? They're programmed to let only the scientists our certain Shockers open them." The girl explains as they stop in front of the room holding the rest of the test subjects.
"The scary look comes from being a mother," she said dryly. "But grandchildren who worry their family by taking off without telling anyone certainly bring it out too."
"And speaking of my daughter, would you three like to tell me where your aunt is at present?"
Aananda hurried down the hallways towards where the others were supposed to be, keeping the girl close. There wasn't time anymore to worry about stealth."Can you get through the locks? They're programmed to let only the scientists our certain Shockers open them." The girl explains as they stop in front of the room holding the rest of the test subjects.
"They haven't made a machine that can stop me yet. As we speak I'm destroying every piece of equipment in this facility." She checked her readout and redirected some nanites to destroy this lock and open the door.
She threw open the door, prepared to deal with any guards that might be here.
"She stayed behind to get people out of the labs. It wasn't fair to help Gareth and not the others." Matthias explains. "She'll be okay though."
She threw open the door, prepared to deal with any guards that might be here.
"I'm glad you could join us." A Shocker on the other side of the door says as he tosses a cube at Aananda's feet.
"Knock-out cube!" Attmpting to kick it away, the girl only succeeds in getting it off of the floor before the cube activates and generates an electrical field. She crumples to the ground, once again unconscious.
"Stupid wretch. She should know by now that doesn't work."
Three more tests subjects are being kept inside smaller glass 'rooms' on the left side of the room and are being guarded by another Shocker.
"Huh. Glad I still had that electrical resistance up. Oh, was I supposed to be scared?" she said with a wicked grin. She sliced the vibroblade through the metal sheeting on the floor and pulled up small spears of rock that she sent hurtling at the Shocker, avoiding vital organs but piercing his clothes to pin him to the floor.
She hit a button on her headband. "Stabilize the girl and dismantle any security still operational around the cages. I want this place completely non-operational and all data wiped within two minutes tops."
She opened the doors to the glass cells.
"So. Which of you want a ride out of here to somewhere you won't be experimented on?"
"You do realize I'm right here, don't you?" The second Shocker asks as he fires at Aananda.
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"It's just that I didn't think you were important," she said sweetly as she pulled up more rock shards to pin the second Shocker. "Also, you should clean out your ears. Electricity. Resistance. Moron. Or maybe it's just that you're soft because you're used to hunting helpless kids? Not really a good recommendation for your character there."
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"It's just that I didn't think you were important," she said sweetly as she pulled up more rock shards to pin the second Shocker. "Also, you should clean out your ears. Electricity. Resistance. Moron. Or maybe it's just that you're soft because you're used to hunting helpless kids? Not really a good recommendation for your character there."
"No magic-user is helpless." He growls, pinned to the wall. The oldest of the three test subjects steps out and taps him on his left temple.
"You talk too much." She tells him as his eyes close. She turns to Aananda as the other two, both boys in their mid to late teens, step out of their cells too. "We want out, plain and simple."
"Then today is your lucky day."
She checked her read out. Destruction at 80%. She pulled out three starcasters and a tube of nanites.
"Give me a minute. Since there are four of you and only three of these I need to jury rig it so all of you can go...should have it ready in a jif," she said as the nanites constructed a lattice between the devices.
"Maru? Juco?"
The boys nod and head to the door, watching for more guards. The woman goes over and helps the girl to her feet as Aananda works.
"If there are any interruptions, we'll buy you some time."
She nodded and focused carefully on what she was doing while watching the percent counter climb steadily higher.
"All of you come here now. It's about to get -" all of the lights went out and the only light came from the soft glow of the equipment she was modifying. "Dark. Sorry about that. I was a little off on the timing. Let me just program this thing for the correct destination and then if you would each grab one of these handles it will take you there safely."
She pulled empty tubes out of her pack and held them out to be filled by the returning nanites.
"Come on, young one, just get moving again then grab the handle."
Once they told the device is ready, each of them grabs a hold of the device and readies themselves for leaving.
Once they all have a good hold of it, Aananda hits the button, sending them all to Avalon. She waits a few more seconds to be sure she's retrieved all of her nanites before hitting the button on her starcaster as well, reappearing in the lab .
Four more people in plain white clothing appear in the lab, two teen boys, a girl, and a woman.
"Another lab..." The woman says slowly.
"This lab must really suck, when it is the first thing they say, when they get out." Enre says dryly after hearing the newcomers speak.
Aananda appeared a few seconds later.
"Just put the composite starcaster on the table or something. This is a restricted area so unless you're some kind of technical genius you'll probably never be in here again. Hey, who wants to volunteer to give the new arrivals a tour of the facilities? I'd suggest starting with the cafeteria...ummm....is something wrong?"
"I don't think moving them from one lab to another was the best idea. Rest assured, you are safe here."
"That remains to be seen." The woman replies. "I am Tamara, and we would like to get out of this room."
"Ooookay. Door's right there and your legs work."
"And while I'm at it, the rest of you, shoo. Anyone not named Jim should be somewhere else. I have a lot of cleanup to do now that we've resolved the crises of the day (I hope) and I can't do that with all of you standing around," she said with a laugh.
With the rest of the newcomers following her, Tamara goes to the door, opens it, and visibly relaxes.
"Perhaps this place isn't like Jegareth after all. Let's take a look around before we decide anything." She looks back at Aananda. "I apologize for my earlier behavior. I've been in a lab too long to trust scientists or strangers."
"It's okay. I don't blame you. You know what, Vai, I think you're the perfect person to show these guys around. This is my youngest daughter, Vai," she said pointing out the blonde half-elf who looked like she was almost the same age as Aananda.
"Don't let appearances fool you," she said smiling. "I'm older than I look. Ephebe, maybe you should go too. This is my oldest, Ephebe. Between the two of them they can answer any questions you might have."
Vai looks over at the mention of her name. She had been kinda spacing out, tired after the endeavour and kinda shocked at what happened between Keme and Nasima. She was also thinking about her... rather hasty departure from Sadie. "Hello," she says, curtsying to the newcomers. "Um. I've never given anyone a tour before..." she looks worried at the prospect of a long-term interaction with strangers, looking to Ephebe for help.
Tyrrin was deep in it now. A Dragon Empire. Dragons of all different colours and dispositions. Why had she never heard of any of this. What WAS Avalon? How did they have access to all this information? If this Empire spanned all the stars... why was Agartha seemingly alone? And what did her dreams mean? These questions burned in her mind as she walked purposefully out of the library. And more importantly... who should she talk to about it?
And more importantly... who should she talk to about it?
A thin sheet of paper falls to the ground in front of Tyrrin as she leaves leave the library.
"Hello," she says, curtsying to the newcomers. "Um. I've never given anyone a tour before..." she looks worried at the prospect of a long-term interaction with strangers, looking to Ephebe for help.
"We'll hardly disappointed. The last tour we received did not promise to be as friendly." Tamara returns the curtsy and the boys bow. The girl remains upright, but nods, her eyes locking on everyone in the room for a brief moment. "If you would like, you could start with the name of the planet this Academy is on."
"Hello," she says, curtsying to the newcomers. "Um. I've never given anyone a tour before..." she looks worried at the prospect of a long-term interaction with strangers, looking to Ephebe for help."We'll hardly disappointed. The last tour we received did not promise to be as friendly." Tamara returns the curtsy and the boys bow. The girl remains upright, but nods, her eyes locking on everyone in the room for a brief moment. "If you would like, you could start with the name of the planet this Academy is on."
Ephebe led the way out into the hall. "Well, up until very recently it was called Agartha. For various reasons that name doesn't fit well anymore, but we don't have a new one yet. You won't find it on any star charts. My ancestors were very careful to make sure it couldn't be found. We're not actually part of the Empire. Most of the people native to this world don't even know the Empire exists. They believe dragons are mythical creatures, monsters of legend. You're likely to see a lot of things here that seem like they stepped out of legends as well since many of the races of this world no longer exist out in the Empire."
"That's powerful information to be sharing with someone who could be secretly working for the Empire." Tamara notes. "An entire planet of creatures thought long extinct or mere myth? That is a treasure the Empire would covet."
Stuffing the book into his bag and hurrying to catch up(with a promise to play with the Antairus Three when they aren't grounded anymore), Gareth hurries to catch up to the tour and only catches the last part.
"What treasure?" He asks, eyes filled with curiosity.
Having read the card, Tyrrin looks around for the culprit. Someone was spying on her. She should at least find out who. The card is incinerated without another thought.
Another card floats down a few seconds later, slow enough for Tyrrin to catch it.
"That's powerful information to be sharing with someone who could be secretly working for the Empire." Tamara notes. "An entire planet of creatures thought long extinct or mere myth? That is a treasure the Empire would covet."
Stuffing the book into his bag and hurrying to catch up(with a promise to play with the Antairus Three when they aren't grounded anymore), Gareth hurries to catch up to the tour and only catches the last part.
"What treasure?" He asks, eyes filled with curiosity.
"A figurative treasure. And I'm not being as trusting as you think, Tamara. There's a barrier around this planet. No one hostile to us can perceive the planet and anyone hostile to us who leaves here forgets everything about this place as they pass through the barrier. It is well and truly protected. If you wish to go back to the Empire, to a world more friendly to magic users perhaps, that can be arranged at your convenience."